Ismail Demir, Turkish undersecretary for defense industries, has suggested that Pentagon should appoint an ombudsman who would oversee exchange of scientific ideas and technologies between the U.S. and Turkey, Defense News reported Monday.
Marcus Weisgerber writes Demir proposed the new role during a panel discussion with Frank Kendall, the Pentagon’s acquisition chief, at an American Turkish Council event.
“If Turkey is looked at very carefully, there are many companies [that could] be first-, second- or third-tier suppliers to many important US companies, not only in defense, [but] also in some other areas,†Demir said, according to Defense News.
Weisberger reports that Kendall said there is a huge opportunity for the two nations to collaborate on research and development.
“It’s an area I’ll look at and see what we can do together,†Kendall added, according to the article.
The U.S. and Turkey have worked together on the F-35 development program.
